DETROIT — The A’s weren’t trying to pull a fast one on the Tigers.
The effect, though, was much the same.
After the Tigers spent the day expecting to face Oakland’s Jharel Cotton, he was scratched a few minutes before Monday night’s game with a strained groin. His replacement, Raul Alcantara, held Detroit scoreless for 32/3 innings to set up an 8-3 victory.
“I just felt a pull in my groin, and when I tried to keep warming up, it kept grabbing at me,” Cotton said. “It was just a freak accident when I was ready to pitch.